Choosing and planning
EICR Cost and the Electrical Safety Rules for Landlords
An Electrical Installation Condition Report, or EICR, is a qualified electrician's inspection and test of the fixed wiring in a property. Private landlords in England need one at intervals of no more than 5 years, and homeowners are not legally required to have one. Here is what an EICR costs, what the C1, C2, C3 and FI codes mean, and the duties the 2020 regulations set for landlords, backed by a financial penalty of up to £30,000.
EICR cost in the UK
Checkatrade’s EICR cost guide, in a table last updated in September 2024, gives these UK prices for an Electrical Installation Condition Report, excluding VAT.
| Report | UK price, excluding VAT | Average |
|---|---|---|
| EICR | £100 to £250 | £200 |
| EICR, commercial property | £30 to £50 per circuit | £40 per circuit |
A commercial EICR is priced per circuit, so on the same figures an installation with 10 circuits comes to £300 to £500, or £400 at the average.
Take a landlord with two rented homes, both due an EICR in the same year.
EICRs for a landlord with two rented homes
| EICR, first rented home | £200 |
|---|---|
| EICR, second rented home | £200 |
Total £400
Checkatrade's average EICR price, excluding VAT, from a table last updated in September 2024. Across its £100 to £250 range the two reports come to £200 to £500, before any remedial work a C1 or C2 code calls for.
Checkatrade’s electrician hourly rate guide, in a table last updated in May 2026, prices an electrical safety certificate by the size of the home, from £125 for one bedroom to £300 or more for five or more bedrooms, with an average of £212.50, also excluding VAT.
Landlord electrical safety certificate rules
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 set these duties for private landlords in England.
| Landlord duty | When | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Have the electrical installation inspected and tested | At intervals of no more than 5 years, or sooner if the last report says so | A qualified person |
| Give a copy of the report | Within 28 days of the inspection | Each existing tenant |
| Give a copy of the report | Before they occupy the property | Each new tenant |
| Give a copy of the report | Within 28 days of a written request | A prospective tenant |
| Give a copy of the report | Within 7 days of a written request | The local housing authority |
| Have remedial or further investigative work done | Within 28 days, or the shorter period the report gives, starting with the date of the inspection | You |
The existing tenants’ copies and any remedial work are both due within 28 days of the inspection, so the inspection date, not the day the report arrives, is the one to plan around.
A landlord's EICR, from booking to the next one
- The inspection is booked no more than 5 years after the last one, or sooner if the last report said so
- Each existing tenant has a copy of the report within 28 days of the inspection
- A new tenant has a copy before they occupy the property
- Any remedial or further investigative work is done within 28 days, or the shorter period the report gives
- A copy is on file for a written request from a prospective tenant, due within 28 days, or from the local housing authority, due within 7 days
- The date the next inspection is due is in the diary
A financial penalty imposed by the local housing authority must not exceed £30,000, under regulation 11. Failing to comply can also invalidate landlord insurance on a fire or electrical damage claim, Checkatrade says.
EICR codes: C1, C2, C3 and FI
The report gives each observation a code, and an EICR is satisfactory only if it has no C1 or C2 codes, Checkatrade says.
| Code | What it means | What a landlord does next |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Dangerous, immediate action required | Remedial work, within 28 days or the shorter period the report gives |
| C2 | Potentially dangerous, urgent remedial work needed | Remedial work, within 28 days or the shorter period the report gives |
| C3 | Improvement recommended, not unsafe | Consider the recommended improvement |
| FI | Further investigation required | Further investigative work, within 28 days or the shorter period the report gives |
The 28 days in regulation 3 are the longest a landlord can take over remedial or further investigative work, because the report can give a shorter period.
Do not wait for the 28-day limit on a C1 code
A C1 code marks something dangerous in a home your tenants live in, with immediate action required, and a financial penalty from the local housing authority can be up to £30,000.
Booking an EICR in Nottingham
An EICR covers the fixed wiring and does not include PAT testing, which covers portable appliances, Checkatrade says. Among the Nottingham electricians who carry out EICRs, Central Electrical Contractors on Carlton Road also does portable appliance testing and Energy Performance Certificates.
Legacy Electrical in Beechdale does EICRs for private rented properties, and Atlas Electrical in Rise Park works for landlords and letting agents.
When you choose the electrician for the inspection, ask for an EICR by name, describe the property and ask whether the price includes VAT, since Checkatrade’s EICR prices exclude it.
Asking for an EICR price
Do this
What is your price, with VAT, for an EICR on a rented three-bedroom terraced house, and how soon after the inspection will I have the report?
Not this
How much is a landlord safety certificate?
EICRs for homeowners and buyers
Only landlords are legally required to have an EICR, Checkatrade says, and it strongly recommends one for homeowners every 5 to 10 years, or sooner if issues arise, such as signs the wiring needs replacing.
When you buy an older property, Checkatrade’s rewiring advice is to request an EICR before exchanging contracts, and it notes that outdated or unsafe wiring can affect insurance eligibility and may deter future buyers. The same advice calls an EICR by a qualified electrician the most reliable way to assess an installation.
Common questions
How much does an EICR cost?
An EICR costs £100 to £250 in the UK, with an average of £200, excluding VAT, on Checkatrade's figures in a table last updated in September 2024. An EICR on a commercial property is priced per circuit instead, at £30 to £50 a circuit with an average of £40.
How much is a landlord electrical safety certificate?
An electrical safety certificate costs from £125 for a one-bedroom home to £300 or more for a home with five or more bedrooms, with an average of £212.50, excluding VAT, in Checkatrade's electrician hourly rate guide. Private landlords in England must have the electrical installation inspected and tested by a qualified person at intervals of no more than 5 years.
How often do you need an EICR?
A private landlord in England needs the electrical installation inspected and tested at intervals of no more than 5 years, or sooner if the last report says so, under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. Checkatrade suggests homeowners have an EICR every 5 to 10 years, or sooner if issues arise.
What do the codes on an EICR mean?
C1 means dangerous, with immediate action required; C2 means potentially dangerous, with urgent remedial work needed; C3 means an improvement is recommended and the issue is not unsafe; and FI means further investigation is required. An EICR is satisfactory only if it has no C1 or C2 codes, Checkatrade says.
What happens if an EICR is unsatisfactory?
An EICR with a C1 or C2 code is not satisfactory, and a landlord must have the remedial work done within 28 days, starting with the date of the inspection, or within the shorter period the report gives. The same time limit applies to further investigative work, and a financial penalty imposed by the local housing authority must not exceed £30,000.
Do homeowners need an EICR?
No, only landlords are legally required to have an EICR, Checkatrade says, though it strongly recommends one for homeowners every 5 to 10 years. When you buy an older property, Checkatrade's rewiring advice is to request an EICR before exchanging contracts.
Does an EICR include PAT testing?
No, an EICR does not include PAT testing, Checkatrade says. PAT testing covers portable appliances, while an EICR covers the fixed wiring.
Where the figures come from
- Checkatrade, electrical safety check (EICR) cost read 2026-09-17
- Checkatrade, electrician hourly rate read 2026-09-17
- The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, regulation 3 read 2026-09-16
- The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, regulation 11 read 2026-09-17
- Checkatrade, rewiring a house read 2026-09-17
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